From the simplest fairy tales to literary classics, the absent mother is a central and recurring theme that resonates deeply with audiences. Mothers are the quintessential nurturers; they represent home, security, comfort and love. When they are absent, either literally or figuratively, the world is thrown into chaos. Elementary examples exist in children’s stories like Bambi, Cinderella and Babar; more complex representations can be found in Shakespeare—especially the tragedies and romances, in retellings of the Arthurian legend such as Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon, and throughout Game of Thrones.
Absent mother figures prominently in the lives of many Games of Thrones characters, shaping their perceptions, attitudes and responses to the world around them. The Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens, Jon Snow and several supporting characters have all been affected by different iterations of the absent mother. This series explores its impact on individual characters and compares their experiences to those of their paradigmatic literary counterparts.
Let’s see how the absent mother has affected Arya Stark, the younger daughter of Ned and Catelyn Stark.
